Shining Stars

The Sport of Philanthropy is a publication created by social enterprise Champions for Philanthropy that highlights exemplary philanthropic endeavors and activism among professional athletes, teams and major sports leagues.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo is quickly making a name for himself in the NBA. Born Edrice Femi Adebayo, the 2016 McDonald’s All-American earned his nickname as a toddler when his mother began calling him Bam after he flipped over a table while watching the Flintstones. The name has not only become relevant to his powerful presence on the basketball court but also to the social impact he is already making in his NBA team city.

Photo: Liberty City Optimist

Raised by his mother in a trailer home in North Carolina, Adebayo founded the BAM Foundation in 2017 to provide support and expand opportunities for single mothers and their children. In just his second year in the NBA, Adebayo has already become an active community leader in Miami through his foundation and other philanthropic activities.

Just a few weeks ago, Adebayo and his foundation teamed up to host a Thanksgiving Giveaway at the Samuel K. Johnson Youth Center in Miami with Liberty City Optimist, a nonprofit organization that provides after-school and summer enrichment programs for youth.

Adebayo handed out free turkeys and hams to local community members alongside celebrity rapper Luke Campbell, commonly known as Uncle Luke, and other volunteers. The event featured a bounce house for kids and musical entertainment from DJ Bre, creating a festive environment to help uplift those facing hardship this holiday season.

The foundation also hosted its inaugural youth basketball clinic in Miami this past August, with proceeds benefiting the work of the foundation. At the camp, youth participants had the opportunity to experience the NBA player training regimen, including fitness evaluation sheets and stretching from professional NBA trainers.

Also a benefactor in his hometown, Adebayo does not take his growing platform for granted, nor does he forget his humble beginnings. He even keeps a framed photo of his former trailer home closeby, engraved with the saying, “Never forget where you came from, and never lose sight of where you are going.” While Adebayo is going big places, his plans evidently include paying it forward in the communities close to his heart.